Boca Raton school studies expansion

St. Andrew's School plans to expand - adding more students and new buildings - and hopes city officials will approve.

The City Council tonight takes its first look at the measure, which would approve the annexation of nearly four acres along Jog Road where the school plans to build classrooms. The proposal would also allow it to add more students.

A public hearing is scheduled for Oct. 23, after which the council will vote on the annexation and expansion plans.

If the proposal passes, St. Andrew's would start several building projects. A 24,000-square-foot classroom building for pre-kindergarten through second-graders is planned for the 3.48-acre parcel to be annexed. The school recently bought the land, which is south of the campus along Jog Road in unincorporated Palm Beach County. It also plans to rebuild the high school classroom building, adding 5,000 square feet.

The expansion plan will make space for 300 new students, increasing St. Andrew's maximum enrollment to 1,502 students. The boarding and day school has a waiting list of students and expects to reach full enrollment by 2009.

It plans to introduce two sections of junior kindergarten classes and add another section to the kindergarten through fifth-grade classes, the Rev. George Andrews II, the school's headmaster, explained in a letter to parents in April.School officials declined to comment Tuesday, saying they did not want to discuss their plans until the council makes its decision on Oct. 23.

Planning and Zoning Director Carmen Annunziato thinks the proposal should pass without a problem.

Two years ago a few neighbors complained about trucks using Northwest 37th Street to get to St. Andrew's. The school rerouted delivery trucks. More complaints came last year about the school's "high intensity" lights shining in neighborhood living rooms, and it responded by replacing the lights with lower-watt bulbs.

The school held two town-hall style meetings for neighbors to ask questions about the expansion in May. They have not had any complaints yet, spokesman Carlos Barroso said.

"I have not heard anything at all about it. No one has complained to me," said Sheri Scarborough, president of the West Boca Community Council, which represents about 110 homeowners associations.

The city Planning and Zoning Board recommended the approval of the annexation on Aug. 23.

One of the provisions in the resolution passed by the board would require school officials to meet with neighborhood representatives every six months to air complaints and resolve issues. The school must also encourage employees to carpool, use public transportation, walk or bike to school. It will also have to operate a shuttle, during peak hours, to take people to and from the Tri-Rail Station.

The new students will increase the number of morning peak-hour trips by 213 and the evening peak-hour trips by 76, according to a traffic study performed by the project's traffic engineer, McMahon Associates.

Other expansion plans include another parking lot, a 3,000-square-foot expansion to the chapel, a swimming pool, tennis court lighting and more fences.

Rachael Joyner can be reached at rjoyner@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6633.